The Crescent Lands is a veritable menagerie of dialects, argots, and languages. Any creature who makes the slightest pretense of intelligence must have its own language as proof of its noble faculties. Fortunately, most of the languages are fit only for the gutter (after all who need know such uncouth tongues as Orcish, Borealan, Tekelan, Elvish, etc.) and most civilized people have followed the path taken by the Thon temple and chosen Aerine. Aerine is the language of Aereolus and is used as Trade Speak (the common language of merchants).
There are two dialects of Aerine: Common and Ancient. Common Aerine is spoken in Trade Speak and is the major language of discourse. It is often referred to as Aerine or Common or Trades'. If spoken in a suitably loud and authoritative voice, this elegant language is even understood by barbarous folk.
Ancient Aerine is a dead language spoken only by the aristocracy. It is most effectively spoken with a faint sneer.
While Aerine is the principle written and spoken language in the Crescent Lands, many areas use local languages. The Serranthro M'lethet use T'Hoemit (which they claim was gifted them by their god [ably explaining the convoluted and illogical nature of the language]). Ar'Ethmet and Ma Cab uses a dialect of Aerine. The dwarves in Monarch of the Mines use Dwarvish (Ch'krunk). The elves speak Elvish. Following are a short list of other tongues gabbled or scrawled in the Crescent Lands and Barbarous Hinterlands:
Orcish | Wyrmish | SouthLander |
Archaic Spirewall (Miruish) | Draconian | Borealan |
Archaic Ma Cab (Kr'Splt) | Kobold | Tellurian |
Plain Speak (Sh'sh'rit'lup'rumab) | Centaurese | Darkling |
Giantish1 | Guild Cant | Temple Cant |
Fisher Tongue | Goblish | Sidhe |
Dirthese | Aleut | Silent Speech |
Gnollish | High Troll | Aerthmoour (an ancient, now rare unhuman tongue) |
Lizardman speech (or S'rochta) |
For those with a historical bent, the multitude of dead tongues far out spans the listing of those extant. Following are a small sample:
Wyrmish | El'Por (Ancient Dwarf) | Hithrah (Tower Tongue) |
F'shra (UnderCity Runic) | Tekelan | Numerian |
Archaic Aereolan | Zotl (Ancient MaCab) | GodScript |
Fisher (Island Empire) | K'lo Ah (Trade Talk circa 2500 3500 PBD) | Farthii (Pan Aereolus Minh Empire) |